To cover short-
placed under tightened security because of
money,' said Joe McClure, a Los
threats of terrorist attack. Airline passengers
Angelesarea travel agent and owner of
term operating
endured many delays as security checks
Montrose Travel. `Corporate travelers
losses Amtrak
intensified. For several weeks, hundreds of
don't have the time to waste getting
from point A to point B.'"24 That view
mortgaged Penn
flights were delayed. Yet, Amtrak's patronage
went down a million from the year before.
was echoed by Kelly Kuhn of Navigant
Station in New
Safety fears mounted sharply in 1996,
International in Chicago, who said:
York as collateral
when within two months a ValuJet DC-9
"We certainly have not seen an increase
crashed in the Florida Everglades and a TWA
in selling tickets. Amtrak is not really a
for a $300 million
viable option."25
Boeing 747 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean
loan.
· A leisure airline traveler, Kathy Brown
off the Long Island coast. In 1997, airline acci-
dents occurred in the Dominican Republic,
of Santa Barbara, says for a long vaca-
Peru, Nigeria, Zaire, Brazil, Ethiopia (a hijack-
tion Amtrak is out of the question
ing), and Indonesia. India suffered the world's
because "it would take me two or three
worst midair collision. Still, Amtrak traffic
days to go where I want to go by
Amtrak."26
dropped lower in each of those two years than
· Amtrak's lack of security measures
in any year between 1985 and 1995.
Other examples demonstrate that Amtrak
prompted Danielle Fidler of Alexan-
traffic surges evaporate when caused by
dria, Virginia, to write: "It is inexcusable
external events. In the 1970s the United
for Amtrak to neglect even the most
States suffered two gasoline shortages. The
basic safety precautions. Although I am
first resulted from the outbreak of the Arab-
scheduled to take the train to New York
soon, I think I would rather fly."2 7
Israeli War in October 1973, when OPEC
imposed an oil embargo against Western
Lavita Jones of Los Angeles boarded
countries; the second resulted from Iran cut-
Amtrak's Metroliner, saying: "It's just
ting its oil production for six months prior to
like it's another day. Anyone could just
April 1979. Each time, airline fares and gaso-
walk on with anything. I feel safer on an
airplane."2 8 Alfred Benner, a Michigan
line prices skyrocketed, and lines of cars wait-
ed at filling stations. Both times Amtrak rid-
businessman, said: "The security is even
ership surged. A typical headline read
worse on trains than planes. I'll be dri-
"Gasoline Lines and Cost of Flying Leading
ving to Boston to see my family over the
Many to Try Rail Travel."2 3 But in each case,
holidays, thank you very much."2 9
· Conditions aboard trains leave cus-
when fuel became more readily available
Amtrak ridership declined or stagnated.
tomers unimpressed, or worse. Passen-
Nine years went by before Amtrak carried
ger Steven Green, planning to return to
more passengers than it did in 1979.
New Jersey from Florida on Amtrak,
wondered, "How bad could it be? By
Amtrak's Future with Airline Passengers
the time he got off the train almost 30
Admittedly, fear of flying is different
hours later (and more than four hours
today than it was in the past. No one knows
late) he knew. . . . He was awakened
what travel trends will evolve, but it is known
every time the door in the car opened
that Amtrak does not enthrall all airline pas-
and slammed shut. . . . Then there were
sengers. Anecdotal evidence is building that
the bathrooms, which he says weren't
airline travelers resist traveling by Amtrak.
cleaned en route and became filthy. `I
Consider:
refused to use them,' he says. `The best
thing about the train was getting
· Many business travelers say it's hard to
off.'"3 0
beat jetliners for long trips despite the
new safety concerns. . . . "`Time is
Thus, even in light of the changes in the
5